Pixel 9 Professional vs Galaxy S25: The combat for the Android crown

Intro

Final 12 months, Google expanded its Pixel lineup by including (or maybe reviving) an XL mannequin. This transfer signifies that the Pixel 9 Professional is now not the most important system, not solely by way of specs but additionally in dimension.

The Pixel 9 Professional is now a lot nearer to the Pixel 9. With its 6.3-inch display screen, it competes immediately with the not too long ago unveiled Galaxy S25 and this new antagonism deserves our consideration.

The Pixel 9 lineup was formally revealed on August 13, 2024, whereas the Galaxy S25 sequence debuted on January 22, 2025. With these launches out of the way in which, we now have the mandatory data to check the 2. The comparability remains to be considerably preliminary, and we’ll add benchmarks, digital camera samples, and battery check outcomes as soon as our lab exams are full.

The battle for the title Greatest Android telephone has begun. Let’s dive in!

Pixel 9 Professional vs Galaxy S25 variations:

Desk of Contents:

Pre-order the Galaxy S25 Plus for as much as $800+ off

$299
99

$999
99

$700 off (70%)

The thrilling Galaxy S25 Plus has lastly been revealed. Pre-orders at the moment are open, and you’ll pre-order a unit for as much as $700 off on the Samsung Retailer with eligible trade-ins. There’s an extra $100 Samsung Credit score out there.


Pre-order at Samsung

Pre-order the Galaxy S25 for as much as $550+ off

$299
99

$799
99

$500 off (63%)

The “vanilla” Galaxy S25 is right here! Now’s the time to pre-order one with unique reductions of as much as $500. To get the low cost, you will need to commerce in an eligible system. There’s an extra $100 Samsung Credit score out there, which incorporates your $50 Reservation Present!


Pre-order at Samsung

Google Pixel 9: Get at Amazon for 25% off

$197 off (25%)

Snatch the Pixel 9 with fancy new Gemini AI options at Amazon. The most recent non-Professional mannequin with a G4 chip is presently out there for 25% off.


Purchase at Amazon

Pixel 9 Professional: $99 off; Pixel 9 Professional XL: get at Amazon

$99 off (5%)

The most recent flagships from Google, the Pixel 9 Professional and the Pixel 9 Professional XL, at the moment are out there at Amazon. You may get the larger-sized mannequin at its commonplace value, whereas the 9 Professional with 128GB storage in Hazel is $99 off.


Purchase at Amazon

Pre-order the Galaxy S25 Extremely for as much as $1,250+ off

$399
99

$1419
99

$1020 off (72%)

The Galaxy S25 Extremely is formally right here! Now you can pre-order the mighty Samsung flagship for as much as $1,250+ off on the Samsung Retailer! Eligible system trade-ins enable you to save as much as $900, and also you additionally get a $120 free storage improve. Moreover, you rise up to $350 Samsung Credit.


Pre-order at Samsung

Pre-order the Galaxy S25 Plus for as much as $800+ off

$299
99

$999
99

$700 off (70%)

The thrilling Galaxy S25 Plus has lastly been revealed. Pre-orders at the moment are open, and you’ll pre-order a unit for as much as $700 off on the Samsung Retailer with eligible trade-ins. There’s an extra $100 Samsung Credit score out there, which incorporates your Reservation Present.


Pre-order at Samsung

Design and Show High quality

The long run is flat?
The design language of the Pixel 9 Professional has undergone a big shift—the primary main redesign for the reason that Pixel 6 sequence launched the Digicam Bar.

This time, the Pixel 9 Professional affords a wholly new feel and appear, that includes flat sides, a flat back and front, and a extra conventional (but horizontal) digital camera bump. And oh boy, is that this digital camera bump huge! Many within the trade have already nicknamed it a “shelf,” underscoring simply how giant and protruding it’s.

In the meantime, the Galaxy S25 intently follows the design of current Galaxy S-series gadgets, with little to no visible adjustments. It retains the acquainted glass-and-metal sandwich design, flat sides and again, and the identical digital camera association with three separate housings for its rear cameras.

The dimensions and weight of the brand new “compact” Pixel 9 Professional now convey it nearer to the Galaxy S25. The Pixel measures 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm and weighs 199 grams. Nonetheless, the Galaxy S25 stays the extra compact system at 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm and can be lighter, at 162 grams.

In terms of shows, as talked about earlier, the display screen sizes are fairly comparable, and the display screen tech is sort of similar. The Galaxy S25 encompasses a flat 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X show with a Full HD+ (2340 x 1080) decision and a easy 120Hz refresh fee.

The Pixel 9 Professional, alternatively, boasts a barely bigger 6.3-inch flat OLED panel with a decision of 1280 x 2856 pixels and the identical adaptive 1–120Hz refresh fee. The Pixel has a bonus in pixel density, due to its greater decision (495 PPI vs. 416 PPI on the Galaxy S25). The Google flagship additionally tops our brightness charts, so it is going to be fascinating to see how the S25 fares in our show exams. Keep tuned.

Efficiency and Software program

“For Galaxy” would possibly win this spherical
The Galaxy S25 options the newest and already fairly standard Qualcomm silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. This processor has already attracted numerous consideration, with early benchmarks from different not too long ago launched Android flagships inserting it in direct competitors with Apple’s A18 Professional. Samsung has prolonged its collaboration with Qualcomm, and the Snapdragon contained in the S25 comes with the “for Galaxy” branding, providing a slight overclock and probably greater artificial benchmark scores.The Pixel 9 Professional, alternatively, is powered by Google’s fourth-generation Tensor G4 chipset, developed in-house with a robust emphasis on machine studying and AI. The Tensor nonetheless lags in uncooked efficiency (even in comparison with the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), and we predict the Elite will come on prime of the G4 in benchmark scores. That stated, benchmark numbers don’t at all times replicate real-world efficiency, and the Pixel 9 Professional is easy and quick in on a regular basis use. Keep tuned for some numbers quickly.

By way of RAM, the Pixel 9 Professional comes geared up with 16GB of RAM and affords a variety of storage choices, from 128GB as much as 1TB. The Galaxy S25, by comparability, comes with much less RAM (12GB); storage choices begin at 128GB and prolong to 256GB and 512GB variants.

On the software program entrance, each telephones dwell throughout the Android ecosystem, setting the stage for a tricky AI showdown. 

Samsung began its AI journey with Galaxy AI, whereas Google’s Gemini brings its personal set of strengths and weaknesses. The Galaxy S25 options some cool Galaxy AI enhancements, akin to “Now Transient” (an AI-generated abstract of your day), YouTube video summaries, and the same old writing and translation aids. 

Funnily sufficient, Samsung has built-in Gemini into the Galaxy S25 Collection and even affords Google’s LLM as a standalone possibility.

Digicam

Good previous instances

Samsung has opted to maintain the digital camera {hardware} of the Galaxy S25 unchanged for an additional 12 months.

Whereas this resolution would possibly spark some controversy, current advances in AI and post-processing algorithms have considerably lowered the reliance on yearly {hardware} upgrades. That stated, we’d have appreciated a brand new, higher-resolution ultrawide digital camera or a unique sensor for the Galaxy S25‘s predominant lens. As an alternative, the system comes with the identical 50MP predominant digital camera, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3X telephoto from final 12 months.

Google has additionally carried over the triple-camera system from the Pixel 8 Professional, which features a 50MP predominant digital camera, a 48MP ultrawide, and a 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom. The massive variations lie within the AI-powered picture algorithms, because the Pixel introduces a number of new options, such because the “Add Me” function, expanded choices within the Magic Editor, a brand new Panorama mode, and extra. One other cool factor is that the Pixel can upscale movies to 8K decision.

This part might be full of pattern images and side-by-side comparability photographs quickly. Keep tuned for extra updates!

Battery Life and Charging

Benefit Pixel, probably
The Pixel 9 Professional encompasses a barely smaller battery than its predecessor, a trade-off ensuing from Google shrinking the show of the Professional mannequin to make room for the brand new Pixel 9 Professional XL variant. The capability now stands at 4,700 mAh (down from 5,050 mAh), although charging speeds stay unchanged.

The Galaxy S25, alternatively, retains the identical 4,000 mAh battery as its predecessor, giving the Pixel a possible edge in battery life. In our exams, Google’s flagship managed 6 hours and 53 minutes total, inserting forty fourth amongst telephones examined prior to now two years. Given the smaller capability and the highly effective chipset contained in the Galaxy S25, we doubt Samsung’s telephone will be capable to topple this outcome, however we’ll want to finish our battery exams to verify.

By way of charging, neither telephone is setting new data. Google elevated the facility of the Pixel 9 Professional‘s wired charging to 27W and claims as much as 55% cost in about half-hour. Our check outcomes have been shut: 53% in half-hour and a full cost in 1 hour and 12 minutes. The Galaxy S25, in the meantime, sticks with solely barely slower 25W charging. To be sincere, each are fairly underwhelming relating to charging speeds.

Specs Comparability

Which one must you purchase?

This could’ve been a a lot simpler query to reply had Google not modified the lineup. With the Pixel 9 Professional getting smaller and nearer in dimension to the vanilla S25, issues immediately obtained extra difficult. On the one hand, you could have Google’s software program expertise, which is the quickest option to get each single Android replace for seven lengthy years. Couple that with Gemini and Google’s assets and you’ve got a really potent flagship Pixel telephone. In all probability the perfect one in years.

Then again, Samsung’s AI recreation has been prime notch these days with Galaxy AI, and the not too long ago introduced S25 additionally function the newest sizzling subject in smartphone silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, made even quicker with the moniker “for Galaxy.” 

Who will take the Android crown, then? It is too early to inform, however it is going to be a fierce combat. We are going to replace this comparability with benchmarks and exams and provide the closing verdict as soon as we end our lab exams.

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